They say the best way to prevent your child from spending all their free time on gadgets is to offer a more exciting alternative, such as nature activities for kids that truly spark their interest. Luckily, there’s no shortage of fun outdoor ideas. To save you time, we’ve already gathered the very best options right here.
The suggested kids nature activities are perfect for the warmer seasons. And when autumn arrives, you can turn to our Fall Activities for Preschoolers booklet for even more inspiration. In short, there’s no lack of engaging outdoor play ideas for preschoolers. Let’s explore the top 15.
Best Kids Nature Activities: Fun and Easy to Do
Each of these activities is worth trying at least once. They’ll give you a chance to enjoy quality time together – or offer your child something fun to do while you prepare dinner in peace or finally enjoy a cup of coffee while it’s still hot. Plus, these ideas aren’t just entertaining – they’re beneficial too: they nurture creativity, deepen a child’s connection with nature, encourage observation and mindfulness, and inspire movement.
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Gardening and Planting
Among all kids nature activities, this one is a favorite for a reason. Plant flowers together, water them, add fertilizer – it’s a beautiful way to bond. You can also grow vegetables: for children, it’s fascinating to witness the full process – from planting a seed to watching sprouts emerge, blossoms appear, and fruits grow. And the best part? Harvesting them to cook something together! It’s a hands-on lesson in how nature works.
We also highly recommend our digital book 30 Montessori-Inspired Spring Activities for Preschoolers to Try at Home. It includes beautiful printables and plenty of extra ideas. Your child will also get to learn more about plant life in a simple, engaging way.
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Grow Your Own Microgreens
You can easily turn gardening into part of your at-home nature activities. Instead of just planting flowers in pots, try growing microgreens! It’s super simple. You can use seeds like wheat, peas, beans, flax, or anything you have on hand. You can buy a ready-made growing kit, but it’s even easier (and cheaper) to make one yourself. It only costs a few cents.
Place a layer of coarse fabric (like linen) or a bit of soil at the bottom of a container. Moisten it well with water, then sprinkle a thick layer of seeds on top. Cover the container with a clear plastic lid or some cling film. Mist your mini-garden daily. Once the green sprouts appear, snip them carefully with scissors and add them to salads, soups, burgers, or any dish you like.
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Working with Natural Materials
This is a perfect blend of outdoor nature activities and indoor creativity. Start by going on a nature walk to collect sticks, leaves, flowers, stones, or seashells. Once you’ve gathered your treasures, use them to create collages or decorate playdough sculptures together.
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Nature Treasure Hunt
Fill a bin of a Sensory Table with kinetic sand or water. Hide natural items inside: stones, shells, leaves, pinecones, and invite your child to “hunt” for them using their fingers or a small strainer. This sensory-rich activity also supports fine motor skill development.
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Shadow Silhouettes
Take some chalk outside and find a flat area where you can draw. Set up a toy or figure so that the sun casts a shadow on the ground. Invite your child to trace the shadow’s outline with chalk. They can then add creative details, color it in, or even turn it into a whole character or scene.
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A New Bouquet Every Day
Add a little floral artistry to your outdoor nature activities. During walks, collect flowers, twigs, and leaves to create your own bouquets. They don’t have to be traditional – in fact, the more imaginative, the better! A bouquet could include dry branches, blades of grass, or any unexpected combination. The goal is to let your child explore and express their creativity freely.
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Feel Like a Real Artist!
Bring out an easel, brushes, and paints into the open air. Find a beautiful spot and encourage your child to paint what they see, or how the place makes them feel. With nature activities for kids, it’s the process that matters most, not the final result. Let their imagination guide the brush!
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Picnic
If you’re looking for the perfect option among nature activities for teens, parents, and younger kids alike – picnics are a fantastic choice. The whole family will enjoy it: you get to relax in nature, share delicious treats, talk, and play games like soccer, badminton, or even a board game. It’s a universal form of recreation that can be adapted to any season, location, and family preference.
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Camping Trip
Plan an outdoor adventure as a family – it’s a wonderful way to create lasting memories. If your child is still little, you can even camp in the backyard to stay close to home while enjoying the experience. With kids over 10, it’s easier to go further: pick a safe spot for setting up a tent, roast marshmallows under the stars, and tell fun or spooky stories before bedtime.
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Water Play
While the weather is warm, head to nearby lakes, rivers, or the pool. Swimming is a full-body workout, and it comes with sunshine (hello, vitamin D), fun inflatables, and floating toys. Kids love water play! You can even add water guns and enjoy a splash battle. When it gets colder, bring the fun inside: turn bathtime into an exciting sensory experience with waterproof toys, bath bombs, or simple science experiments.
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Sandcastle Building
You don’t need a beach to play with sand – a sandbox or kinetic sand indoors works just as well! Build towers and castles using toy buckets, molds, or even old kitchen containers. Your little one will be totally into it – no doubt about that.
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Hopscotch
Got a child who never seems to run out of energy? Hopscotch is the perfect nature activity for kids like that! You can find a printable version in our 30 Summer Activities for Preschoolers to play indoors. Or go classic: draw the grid with chalk outside, number the squares from 1 to 10, and let the jumping begin!
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Rain Walks
Choose a warm, gentle rainy day – the kind that ends with a rainbow in the sky. Don’t wait for the rain to stop! Put on raincoats, grab umbrellas and rubber boots, and head outside to splash in puddles, catch raindrops, poke the wet ground with sticks, and shake the water off the leaves. Just don’t forget to bring your good mood – that’s a must!
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Rubber Band Jumping Game
This classic game is simple and fun. Stretch a large elastic band between two trees or posts at a low height. Your child’s goal is to jump over the band in different ways or land on it and press it down to the ground. Once that gets easy, raise the band a little higher to increase the challenge. You can even turn it into a family competition: who’s the ultimate jumper?
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Mud Kitchens
Digging in mud or clay is pure joy for young kids, especially when they’re allowed to experiment freely with scoops, molds, and play utensils. It’s messy play at its best! If you're looking for a way to keep your child happily occupied, this is one of the most satisfying outdoor activities you can offer.
By the way, just because the snow comes doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. We’ve gathered 30 Winter Montessori-Inspired Activities: Simple Ideas for Snow Days. This book is packed with seasonal fun: from cozy crafts to snowy DIY projects. Download it now and get your winter-ready stockpile of joyful, screen-free ideas!
